


Lasting Damages

by Kuroya



Series: Mind over Matter [3]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M, Modern AU, Protective Dorian, i just keep thinking of more situations for it, i keep coming back to this universe and i don't know why, superhero au, uncertain bull
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-15
Updated: 2015-05-15
Packaged: 2018-03-30 16:49:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,063
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3944260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kuroya/pseuds/Kuroya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been two months since Iron Bull was taken.  Dorian's about ready to tear the city apart himself when he's found again.  But Bull's just a bit more than he was before...</p>
<p>Or in other words, Iron Bull gets powers and he doesn't know what to do with them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lasting Damages

**Author's Note:**

> I give up trying to keep out of this verse, so here, let's just make it a series while I go find a corner to sob at how I'm mangling everything for my own amusement. Just take your fluffy superhero AU and go.

Two months.

It had been two months since Dorian had lost Iron Bull, and it was a miracle that Skyhold was still standing. Cole was a near-constant companion now, the telepath always making contact with his elbow when he could in a silent offer of reassurance and comfort, but it wasn't enough. All he wanted to do was to destroy the city, tear it apart until he found his lover, but Cullen had already promised him that they were putting all of their resources into finding the man. He was shaky, fragile, and the one time that there had been an invasion of genetically-modified bears, he had caused enough property damage that Varric had quietly suggested he lay off the whole saving people thing until Bull was found.

The moment his phone buzzed with a text, he pushed the stack of books up with his powers before hurrying over to check it. He swallowed hard at the sight of the picture, something he'd gotten from Bull when the kossith had been taken by surprise by one of Sera's pranks and was laughing as he swiped shaving cream from his chest and started flicking it towards him to draw him in from where he'd ducked the water balloons, but he swiped the lock screen open anyway.

' _ **We have a lead**_.'

A flick of his fingers had the books shooting to the cart, which he abandoned in the middle of the shelves without a second thought. His keys zoomed into his hand from behind the desk, and he pocketed them as he ran out. He flicked his fingers behind him, turning the sign to closed while simultaneously pushing the tumblers of the lock shut behind him. Running through the streets was never something Dorian had seen himself doing, a Pavus did not run, but here he was, his coat flapping behind him as he made his way across the town to the police station. He didn't miss a beat when he came across a busy street, just gestured with his hands to push himself up and run above the cars before landing on his feet on the pavement on the other side.

He didn't care about the stir anymore, not when Bull was so close.

Cullen met him at the doors, face pinched as Dorian landed. The police captain nodded his head, leading the other man deeper, but he didn't miss a beat, already explaining. "We've been tapping all of our resources, and well... one of Lelianna's contacts pulled in a favor." The ex-Templar coughed. "I, ah... the man agreed to meet, but he's not... he's like you."

"I can handle myself just fine," Dorian dismissed, blowing into the room.

Instantly, upon taking a step in, the tension eased out of the telekinetic's shoulders at the sight of the elf with his boots propped up on the table, plastic folding chair tilted back with a balance that spoke of comfort. The blond smiled and sketched a bow without moving. "You are Dorian Pavus, if my sources are correct." A soft chuckle left the lips. "My apologies, but I've heard more than enough rumors to feel you needed a taste of comfort. If you wish, I can remove it, but it makes things so much easier, no?" Noticing the way that the telekinetic's hands were twitching, the elf chuckled, easing some of his hair back from a series of tattoos across his cheek. "Where are my manners? I am Zevran Arainai, former Crow."

Dorian stretched his fingers out, bending them and straightening them again. "Where. is. Bull?" he ground out, his emotions consuming through the calm exuding from the man before him.

"Patience, patience," Zevran assured, waving a hand as he put a little more effort into his calm; it couldn't be good for that much emotion to roil nearby. "You'll be reunited soon enough, but-"

A ceiling tile tore itself out of its home, skimming inches from Zevran's bare cheek. "Tell me. Now. Or I'll tear it out of you myself."

The elf's hands came up placatingly. "Easy, my friend, I would not think to part you from your **amor**." The boots came down off the table, the chair settling with a soft thump of protest; even Zevran could tell that his powers had hit a man who would burn through the emotions far faster than he could weave them. "There is a small warehouse a mile to the west. The compound is heavily protected, and if it had not been for **mi amorcito** , I might have encountered more trouble." At the slight narrowing of golden eyes, he made a note to stay away from the details. Cullen and Lelianna would care more for them anyway. "I believe your Bull has been kept there, but I warn you... you might not like what you find."

"Then they should not have taken him from me," Dorian retorted, wheeling on his heel and departing the room, jacket flaring behind him as he left a sense of calm in his wake. Sharp eyes followed the process before a tanned finger traced a circle in the air, curling the calm back into himself before he slipped from the room himself. He would rather not be in Skyhold when the storm hit.

* * *

Iron Bull was groggy when his eye fluttered open, head shaking back and forth. The drugs they pumped him with usually kept him pretty woozy, too out of it to plot a plan to get Dorian back. He'd heard the news reports, half because he genuinely was aware of them and half from his captors teasing him with them. The other man was breaking down, destroying the town with his powers, and Bull wasn't ignorant enough to ignore the fact that a large part of that was likely caused by his own kidnapping.

Dorian was exactly the sort of man to take it personally that he'd been kept busy long enough for his lover to be knocked unconscious and hauled off in a suspicious black van, after all.

When there wasn't some sort of needle prod to immediately accompany the sound of his horns knocking against the board he was strapped to, a frown marred his face. Slowly, as his awareness expanded, he became aware of sirens. Groaning, the kossith sat up, thinking nothing of the action until his brain registered that there had been the shriek of metal that was akin to a car accident. Glancing down, Bull's one eye widened as he took in the shredded and twisted parts of his restraints where he had demolished through them like little more than the Silly String that Sera had once coated him with.

But that was something that flitted out of his mind again with a loud bang, much more familiar; it was the sound of massive destruction, and one he'd previously seen Dorian create twice before, once for a train that he brought to a halt and the second for when he threw a car at some upstart villain who had interrupted their date. Suddenly worried that they'd somehow captured his lover too, or even worse locked him up and forced him into some kind of training exercise, he barreled out of bed, ignoring the way he staggered as the room spun and his legs protested to taking his weight. He pushed the door right off its hinges, the metal handle crushing in his grip, but that was something he didn't even recognize as he barreled through the halls, knocking things aside as he went and ducking through a large hole in the wall when he came across it.

The sight of Dorian swiping his arms wide as he pulled apart a tank with his mind probably shouldn't have made his blood heat up about three notches, but it did. "Dorian!" he yelled, running across the empty towards his smaller lover. Those golden eyes were at first thankful and then worried, a hand stretching out in warning, and Bull half-turned to see a large steel girder aimed right towards him. Dorian was trying to stop it, but with that kind of weight and momentum, along with the distance, the telekinetic wouldn't make enough of an impact in time. He was staring death down in the face, and he couldn't find it in himself to be the least bit afraid.

It was anticlimatic as his hand shot out, feet digging into the ground as he stopped the metal dead in its tracks, muscles bulging in one massive bicep from the strain that didn't even leave him breaking a sweat.

The next thing he knew, Dorian was in his arms, pushing the girder aside with his powers as he hurriedly checked Bull over, searching for any sign of damage. "Dorian, Dorian I'm fine," he murmured, cocking his head to the side and ghosting a hand over the man's back.

The smaller seemed about ready to snap before shaking his head and instead yanking Bull down by the horn with that ready way he did, without laying a finger on the larger. He was aggressive in his kiss, hands looping around Bull's neck, and the kossith groaned, scooping Dorian up and pressing him close, hand tight on the smaller's hip before there was a pained cry and Bull dropped Dorian with a look of worry.

Dorian's eyes were childishly wide with shock, wincing as he pulled aside his shirt and pants to reveal a dark bruise already forming on his hip in the shape of Bull's hand, something that had never happened before. But then... but then Iron Bull had never been able to stop massive steel girders with his bare hands before. The kossith tore himself away with a cry, eye squeezing shut with guilt as he realized what had happened. His wish had finally come true. He was finally like Dorian. Only it was just like what his Tama had always told him about wishes: They always came back to bite you in the end.

He had hurt Dorian, and he didn't know how not to do it again.

Bull started to stumble away, trying to get the distance to make sure he wouldn't lay a hand on Dorian again, but the smaller closed a hand around his wrist, holding him just as still as if he had been pinned in place.  "It's fine," Dorian muttered, smoothing his shirt back down and huffing.  "Zevran did say things had changed."  He managed a shaky smile that made Bull's heart ache at the mixture of vulnerability and relief it held.  "I should have taken him more seriously."

"Dorian," Bull murmured, his voice practically a whine as he resisted the urge to try to tug himself free, too afraid of causing more damage.

"I'm just glad you're safe, **amatus**."

The words made Iron Bull pause, turning fully so that he could take measure of Dorian's face, the open emotion on it.  This was a man who had flipped cars for him, who had come out to find him and gotten dirty and sweaty tossing around all kinds of things to rescue him, and even after he'd been hurt, he was standing there smiling at the sight of him, his hands held out and reaching.  Something inside his heart swelled, and with an aching hesitation, well aware of how dangerous his hands were, he reached out to skim his fingertips along Dorian's cheek, unsurprised when the man turned his face slightly to nuzzle into it.  He'd always been a strong man, but never had he been this afraid of breaking something in his grasp.  He wanted to spirit Dorian away so no one could hurt him again the way he was whenever those shoulders would hunch at a jeer of 'freak', but at the same time, he was terrified of being the one to crush the man with his own hands by a stupid mistake.  Slowly, painstakingly, he leaned in to press a soft kiss to Dorian's forehead, an expression of affection that earned him a warm smile.

The telekinetic didn't hesitate to tangle their fingers together and tug.  "Let's go home, **amatus**.  I got some new curtains for us, and I just know you'll love them."

There were so many things that hung on the tip of Bull's tongue, so many warnings and requests, but there was only one thing that made it past his lips after that.

"Okay, **kadan**."


End file.
